Hart Associates - Advertising, Interactive, Public Relations, Video, Media

May 20th, 2009

1 Comments

MAUMEE, Ohio – As part of our public relations efforts for the Mystery Shopping Providers Association, Hart Associates works to combat the mystery shopping-related scams that have popped up across the country.

The most notable of these scams involves a consumer receiving an unsolicited cashier’s check or company check for several thousand dollars. The consumer is asked to wire a portion of the funds through Western Union or MoneyGram, and then keep the balance as payment.

The reality is that these checks are fake.

Several days or weeks after cashing the check and wiring the money, the check bounces, and the consumer is responsible for the entire amount of the check.

Hart Associates has just learned that its name is the latest victim of this scam, along with the consumers who are targeted.

If you received an unsolicited check with directions similar to those above, it is a scam. Hart Associates is not associated with the check. In fact, we do not even do mystery shopping; we simply promote the industry’s trade association.

For more information on this scam, read the MSPA’s information which includes what to do with the materials you receive and how to find legitimate mystery shopping opportunities.

Bookmark or share this:

One Response to “Don’t Be Scammed!”

Jodi Britenstine says:

May 26, 2009 at 3:12 pm

I wanted to thank your company for printing this info about the scam from Hart Company, Inc. I received an unsolicited letter in the mail just days ago that describes what you listed exactly about cashing the check and wiring the money through Western Union. I could not find anything about this company through the Better Business Bureau or on the internet – other than your website. I almost tried to do this mystery shopping scam – but thankfully I was smart enough to check out the company first. Please continue to let others know about this scam so they do not get ripped off. Thanks again!